European Council: Doorstep remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas 

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We have a long agenda today, of course, very important topics like energy and single market, but from my competencies, it is, of course, what is happening in Middle East and Ukraine. 

So first on Middle East, the Iran's attacks on Qatar energy infrastructure create further chaos, and it is clear that we need an exit from this war, not escalation. And that is why I have been also doing the diplomatic outreach to Iran to find different solutions. 

To be very clear, I talked to the minister before the execution of the Swedish citizen, so I was not able to raise that. But in my future calls, I will definitely do that also raise all the issues that we have. 

We have United Nations here today, and we are also working closely with them to find a safe passage for the ships via the Strait of Hormuz, because it is really a problem for especially Asia as well as Africa, that the oil, gas, but also fertilisers and food does not move from the Strait of Hormuz because it is not safe at the moment. 

Then, of course, Ukraine, we will discuss today. And the big question in the room is the support loan - How can we proceed with the support loan that was agreed already in December by the leaders? And it is really time to show our support to Ukraine, because the war in the Middle East is connected to the war in Ukraine, and unfortunately, Russia is gaining from the war in the Middle East. So, that is why I mean, exiting or ending this war is equally important to have a solution, also, for Ukraine, that is not complete surrender to Russia.

Q&A 

Q. Elections [inaudible]

Well, let us see. I am not very, very optimistic, but I know that President Costa is really working hard to find a solution also with Victor Orbán.

Q. Follow-up: Alternatives? 

There are alternatives but let us see how this how this goes and really also needs political courage from all of us.

Q. Do you expect new information from the technical mission to Ukraine? [Inaudible]

Well, if that helps to have a safe passage also for Hungary to say that they agree. But they have already agreed that is the problem. Now they are taking their agreement back. And we also have a clause in our treaties that we are cooperating in good faith. And this is definitely not one of them, but the question for us is how we can really force the implementation of the agreement that we made in December. 

Q. How angry were leaders, or also partners, on Monday about Orbán? 

Well, Foreign Ministers on Monday were very strong in really pushing Hungary to agree and also provide solutions. Because if they have an issue with the oil, their neighbour Croatia can also provide this oil. So, it was a constructive approach. But I guess in the time of elections, people are not that rational. 

Q. Do you have a “plan B”, for example like a coffee break for Mister Orbán?

As I said, President Costa is working with solutions. I was talking to him yesterday as well, and let us see how we find a passage out. 

Q. High Representative, German Foreign Minister said, “I don’t know, when the war in the Middle East will be over.” [inaudible]. So, do you know when this war will be over? 

I do not have a crystal ball to tell you when the war will be over. What is important is that for all of us in the European Union, we want to see the end of this war. We definitely see the chaos that it is causing in the Middle East, but also the ramifications it has for the rest of the world. 85% of oil and gas that goes via the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asia, and we already see problems there. Also, the same with fertilisers that African countries need. For example, Sudan - 54% of the fertilisers to Sudan come via the Strait of Hormuz. So we are working with our Gulf partners, also with Egypt, Jordan, to find a solution that the parties could end this war. 

Q. [inaudible] What is your message to the people of Iran? [inaudible]

The discussions that we had on Monday with the Foreign Ministers were about our operation ASPIDES, that is in the region already with the ships guarding the safe passage through the Red Sea. So, the discussion was whether there is a wish to also expand this, to operate in the Strait of Hormuz. There was no such wish because the Ministers were saying that we were not consulted. Some were even saying that we try to convince parties not to start this war, and we do not know what the objectives of this war are and also, there is no international law basis. If you think about using the force. For example, there are two cases, one is self-defense and the other one is under the UN Security Council resolution. As there is no such thing at this moment, the Member States do not have an appetite to go into this war. For the Iranian people we have always supported the Iranian people, the civil society, so that they can decide for their own future. Of course, the regime has been very oppressive, there is a lot of human suffering for the Iranians. But it has to be Iranians, that are able to decide for their own future. 

Thank you very much.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-286877